My favorite travel websites, tools, and apps for trip planning
As an avid traveler, I’ve learned some savvy ways to make journeys more affordable, efficient, and enjoyable. You’re here, so I bet you’re after the same. 😉
Here’s a list of resources I swear by, starting with those specific to your Luberon trip and following with some all-around travel favorites.
Heads up: Some links here are affiliates. This means if you click and buy or subscribe, I may get a tiny commission – at no extra cost to you. Please read full disclosure for more information.
✈️ FLIGHT SEARCH
To get the best flight deals, I use three apps: Aviasales to search for the cheapest flights, Hopper for buy now-or-wait alerts, and Trip for booking flights.
Aviasales – My current favorite app for finding cheap flights. It’s like Skyscanner or Google Flights but with a cleaner interface. Since 2024, I’ve decided to prioritize traveling to offbeat destinations (e.g. Bhutan, Rwanda, Mauritania and rest of Africa). So I’m impressed when Aviasales sometimes pulls up small regional airlines that don’t even show up on Google or Skyscanner.
Trip – I try to book directly on the airline’s site whenever I can. But sometimes, the best prices are on aggregator platforms. When that happens, I usually go with Trip. They actually have human customer service you can reach, and the in-app call feature is free. Plus, they send real-time updates (via app, email, or SMS or all three) about delays, gate changes, and even which baggage carousel # your bag’s on.
Hopper – I use this app specifically for its flight watch and price prediction features—it tells you whether to buy now or wait. And honestly, it’s been pretty accurate. What I like is how the app keeps it simple: a clean interface that clearly tells me if I should book now or hold off, and how much I might save (or lose) depending on what I do. This fun, free app also plants trees in Kenya when you book (or so they claim?).
😴 ACCOMMODATION
Booking.com – My top pick for hotel bookings and unique stays. The free cancellation is a godsend.
Airbnb – My go-to for apartments, cabins, and specialty accommodations. However, beware of listings with hefty cleaning fees.
Gîtes de France (not an affiliate) – Our family favorite! If you’re staying in the Luberon for a few weeks (or months), a gîte could save you some serious cash. But remember, these are self-catering accommodations so bed sheets, towels, and cleaning are usually at additional costs.
It might seem old-school, but it’s effective. It predates Airbnb and VRBO, boasting over 70,000 self-catering holiday rentals in France, complete with a quality label from the French Ministry of Tourism.
🚗 CAR RENTAL
Discover Cars – A comprehensive car rental comparison site. Discover Cars helps make finding the perfect ride for your Luberon road trip a breeze. As always, make sure to read the fine print and book early. Compare car prices here.
Tripiamo – Nervous about navigating the Luberon’s narrow roads? Driving on the other side of the road? Unfamiliar with French road signs? Learn road rules, avoid driving mishaps, and feel confident before your trip. Get your France driving guide here.
Welcome Pickups – pre-book your transfers to and from the airport, train station, and more.
👀 TOURS
Viator – A global hub for tours and experiences. Browse day trips from Avignon and Aix-en-Provence to the Luberon here. Or, view my Viator shop to see my curated list of tours.
Get Your Guide – Similar to Viator but with a broader base in Europe. See available day trips to the Luberon villages here.
Airbnb Experience – My preferred platform for creative and local-led tours. They might cost a bit more but are totally worth it.
😷 HEALTH & SAFETY
Safety Wing – Not just for digital nomads, Safety Wing stands out as a highly affordable choice. But it’s important to keep in mind that they focus exclusively on health insurance, so you’ll need to look elsewhere for coverage on aspects like trip cancellation, interruption, or lost luggage.
Hey Mondo (not an affiliate) – My preferred for single trip, annual multi-trip, and long stay insurance. Its coverage even extends to offbeat destinations I love.
Also, my pet peeve is hotline waiting times. So when I saw Hey Mondo has a 24/7 app for customer service and remote doctor consultations, I said “Sign me up!”
Super Plants – I never travel without my SuperPlants Multivitamin and Daily Greens superfood powder, especially when I’m headed somewhere that’s heavy on meat and wine. Did you know 95% of supplements out there are synthetic? That’s why I love this brand. Their products are 100% organic, made entirely from plants, with zero fillers or synthetics. Based in the US, they also ship to the EU and UK. Browse their products here.
Radical Storage – A luggage storage network in 70+ countries. Here’s the answer to your bag woes if you arrive or depart at ungodly hours. Available locations include: Marseille airport, Aix-en-Provence TGV station, Avignon train station, and more. Tip: Pay the extra 1.75€ to insure your luggage up to 3000€.
💰 MONEY
Wise (formerly TransferWise) – Offers multicurrency accounts, speedy transfers, and real-time exchange rates. The “Spend Like a Local” feature lets you auto-convert your home currency at the best rate, helping you dodge the Dynamic Currency Conversion (DCC) trap that many tourists fall into. Sign up here to waive the fee transfer on your first €500.
N26 and Revolut – For free ATM withdrawals worldwide and fee-free FX exchange, I swear by these Europe-based digital banks. As of this writing, I believe only EU-based residents can apply for an N26 card, while Revolut has a wider geographical scope.
XE app – Gives you on-the-spot currency conversions, handy for deciding whether splurging on 847 euros on Provencal souvenirs is a good idea
🇫🇷 FRENCH LEARNING
Popular language apps such as Duolingo, Memrise, and Anki can help you learn a lot of French words…but can these really help you speak French in France? In my case, no.
The only way to speak French is to speak it from day one. These are the tools that helped supercharge my French speaking + writing skills:
LingoCulture (my #1 choice) – Truly unlimited 1-on-1 French tutoring that can drastically improve your spoken French. Monthly subscription. This program is the reason why I can now chat confidently with anyone I meet on the street. Sign up today for 3 FREE private classes (no pressure to pay for subscription).
Lingoda – The only program that made me show up to all my online French classes. Because you get your money back if you join Lingoda Sprints. Show up every day for 30 or 90 days and get refunded. If unbroken streaks motivate you, then you will love Lingoda.
iTalki – Like LingoCulture but more flexible if you don’t want to be tied to a monthly subscription. Very affordable too (from $5-35/hour). Learn from native speakers or professional French teachers at your own convenience. Use my Italki code to get $5 off: F0FbHG
Coffee Break French podcast (free) – For levels A1-B2. English-French podcast. I really enjoy listening to this. As I progressed in French over the years, I had grammar questions that even my French teachers couldn’t answer…but an English speaker who learned French could. Believe it or not, this podcast answered a lot of those questions for me.
🏠 BUYING A HOME IN FRANCE
Investropa – Dreaming of a home in France…or planning to buy soon? Don’t buy until you’ve done your homework. Investropa’s France real estate pack gives you the full picture such as: when to buy, how to buy as a foreigner, and what to expect in top areas like Provence and the French Riviera.
Looking beyond France? Check out Investropa’s research packs for other European countries.
📶 CONNECTIVITY
Airalo – An eSIM that provides data plans abroad without a physical SIM card. Priced usually for the cost of two coffees. Remember, these eSIMs provide data only, not a mobile number for calls and SMS. Get €3 off with my discount code: JENNY3742.
Dashlane – A password manager and VPN in one, giving you secure browsing on untrusted networks (e.g. airport WIFI and free WIFI in restaurants). Get 6 months of free Dashlane Premium here.
📚 READING
For all your eBook and audio-book needs while traveling, I recommend:
Everand (formerly Scribd) – It’s like Kindle + Audible on crack. Seriously, I’m surprised many people still don’t know about Everand. A treasure trove of ebooks, audiobooks, magazines, podcasts, sheet music, and PDFs.
Shortform – Do you love memoirs, business, and self-development books? Shortform gives you excellent summaries and analyses of 1000+ nonfiction books. Sign up here for 5 days of free access and a 20% discount on an annual subscription.
📚 OTHER USEFUL APPS
Trip organization: TripIt (one of my fave apps since 2014; auto-organizes your booking confirmations from your email to the app)
Expense tracker: TravelSpend (I have the paid version and it’s worth it); Splitwise (great for tracking shared expenses with friends)
Currency converter: XE
Navigation: Google Maps, Waze, ViaMichelin
Cheap flights with cashback: Wayaway Plus. I received more than $100 cashback from my flights and hotels. Sent to my PayPal. (Update: As of Aug. 2024, the Plus Cashback program is on hold until further notice. Bummer, I loved the cashback feature!)
Transportation: Omio